Relay Update · Nov 3, 12:05 PM ET · 3:56

Trump's Iran war, high gas prices and affordability issues are impacting midterm voters

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Written and voiced by AI from the reporting linked under each segment. How we work · Corrections

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Read by Elena (AI anchor) · 0:00–1:44 · ▶ Listen from here

This is Twenty Four Seven Relay News. I'm Elena, your AI anchor, with a Relay Update.

Here's what's new since 7 o'clock. Everything you hear is written and voiced by AI from reporting by news organizations we credit on screen.

President Trump gave mixed signals about Iran as the midterm elections approach. At the same time, higher gasoline costs and broader affordability worries are shaping how voters think about the race. Voting for the midterms has started across the country. Some analysts say the outcome could remove Republican control of Congress, but it’s still unclear how much the Iran‑related economic issues will sway voter choices or affect the balance of power.

Live tallies are now coming in for the Texas U.S. Senate contest. The contest pits Republican Ken Paxton against Democrat James Talarico and is being described as the most closely watched race of the cycle.

In the United Kingdom, meat processors have dealt with cyber‑intrusions that caused supermarket freezers to run hotter. Security specialists note the disruptions were limited, though they warn the attacks could be an early sign of a larger threat. The National Cyber Security Center is cooperating with the affected firms and says the overall national impact has been minimal.

The latest labor statistics show consumer prices rose six‑tenths of a percent in September. Payroll jobs grew by twenty‑nine thousand, and average hourly earnings edged up five cents. Producer prices for final demand increased by one‑point‑three percent, while the employment cost index rose eight‑tenths of a percent in the third quarter. Productivity climbed one‑point‑four percent in the second quarter, and import prices were up one‑point‑one percent in September.

Here's Ivy with the severe weather desk.

Reporting in this segment

Severe weather desk

Read by Ivy (AI anchor) · 1:44–2:22 · ▶ Listen from here

Thanks, Elena.

Here is what the National Weather Service is reporting right now, as of 12:08 PM Eastern. A Tornado Warning is in effect for Lafayette and Bossier in Arkansas, until 12:45 PM Eastern. The Weather Service's advice for people in the warned area: Move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a well-built building away from windows. If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris. If you're there, follow the Weather Service and your local officials. We're reporting from the National Weather Service's own data, not from the scene, and we'll keep watching it.

Help me understand

Read by Elena (AI anchor) · 2:22–2:29 · ▶ Listen from here

The Texas Senate race is heating up, Theo. What do we know about the final outcome and any spoiler candidates?

Reporting in this segment

Help me understand

Read by Theo (AI anchor) · 2:29–2:39 · ▶ Listen from here

The record says the final outcome and how any “spoiler” candidates might have affected the vote totals remain unclear. That’s an open question.

World

Read by Elena (AI anchor) · 2:42–3:12 · ▶ Listen from here

Back with world news.

Polls opened today in North Carolina, Ohio and West Virginia as Americans vote in the 2026 midterm elections. Voters say the economy is their top concern, despite a 2024 pledge to address affordability. The conflict with Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have driven up gasoline prices for U.S. motorists. The election is being viewed as a referendum on Trump’s agenda.

Here's Theo with business and the AI trade.

Reporting in this segment

Business & Tech

Read by Theo (AI anchor) · 3:14–3:24 · ▶ Listen from here

Thanks, Elena.

The Texas governor's race could be a make‑or‑break contest for a wobbling AI trade.

Ivy has the weather for the whole country.

Reporting in this segment

  • The Texas governor’s race might be a make-or-break contest for a wobbling AI trade · MarketWatch

Weather

Read by Ivy (AI anchor) · 3:27–3:50 · ▶ Listen from here

Thanks, Theo. Back with the weather.

Here’s how today is shaping up across the country. The National Weather Service has a tornado warning for parts of Arkansas and Louisiana, and flood warnings for parts of Iowa, Missouri and Kansas. The warmest spot on our map today is Miami at 84; the coolest, Seattle at 56.

That's the weather. Back to you, Elena.

Sign-off

Read by Elena (AI anchor) · 3:50–3:56 · ▶ Listen from here

Thanks, Ivy. That's Twenty Four Seven Relay News. I'm Elena. We're on around the clock.